It could be the last chance this weekend for local history lovers to view the remains of a 12th century manor house before they are covered up - possibly forever - and used for grazing sheep.

The site, near the parish church in Croxton Kerrial, near Melton, has produced a bonanza of artefacts since members of a local archaeology group were given permission to unearth its secrets five years ago.

The medieval toilet was remarkably well preserved

Members of the Framland Local Archaeology Group (Flag), made the discoveries as part of an excavation of the house, which was last recorded in the 16th century and had disappeared from maps by the 1790s.

Hundreds of finds included the remains of the manor house, a quarry which provided stone to build the original St Botolph’s parish church as well as medieval and Anglo Saxon coins, jewellery and pottery.

Excavations have also revealed the foundations of the great hall and kitchen, a well, a cattle barn and tithe barn and a blacksmith’s smithy and a well preserved medieval toilet.

Guided tours will be given this weekend to show off the site for the last time before it is covered and turned over once more for grazing sheep.

Flag chairman Tony Connolly, who discovered the remnants of the 12th century building while writing a history of the village, said: “It’s probably the most extensively excavated medieval manor house site in Leicestershire.

“It will be disappointing considering the amount of work we have done on it. The land is owned by the Belvoir Estate and they want to return it to farming land and we are due to backfill it in October for return to use as sheep grazing, but we are looking at possible options.”

The land will be used for grazing sheep

He added: “We have found what we believe to be an Anglo Saxon quarry, stone from which was used to build the first St Botolph’s Church - St Botolph was an Anglo Saxon saint.

“We also found lots of Anglo Saxon pottery and jewellery in the quarry and what we believe to be pieces of Roman glass as well.

“It’s been a labour of love, we’ve been doing it for five years and for the last three years it’s been four of us digging so it will be very sad when it comes to an end. “

The manor house was occupied by the de Criol family for 150 years - the second part of the village’s name is taken from their surname.

The building was uninhabited from the 1400s after it had been given to Croxton Abbey, when the de Criol family got into financial difficulties.

The thatched roof wore away and the walls crumbled with just the foundations now visible.

The four-metre deep well was filled with stones and animal bones

Mr Connolly added:“I will be sad to see the medieval manor covered over again in the field. But it is nice that we will be able to show it off one more time with these guided tours.

“A lot of people have seen it and we’re hoping to get quite a lot there on Sunday.”